Convertible and collapsible backpack

ABSTRACT

A convertible and collapsible backpack adapted for shoulder support for persons to carry various types of loads on their backs while walking, said backpack being comprised of a pair of elongated J-shaped members of hollow tubular construction, said J-shaped members being conjoined by two mutually parallel collapsible bars extending in a perpendicular fashion from the middle portion of said J-shaped bars; said J-shaped members having on their respective axial lengths a plurality of holes extending therethrough which are capable of receiving therethrough a series of pins which lock onto corresponding positions on the respective J-bars the fastening ends of various carrying members such as a baby pouch, or a knapsack support, or alternately, a tray member for eating meals when at rest.

United States Patent [1 1 Demaline [451 May 6,1975

[ CONVERTIBLE AND COLLAPSIBLE BACKPACK [22] Filed: Feb. 14, 1974 [21]Appl. No.: 442,759

[52] US. Cl 224/25 A; 224/5 R; 224/6 [51] Int. Cl. A45f 3/10 [58] Fieldof Search 224/25 A, 8 R, 6, 26 G,

Primary Examiner-Robert J. Spar Assistant ExaminerJ'erold M. ForsbergAttorney, Agent, or FirmGeorge R. Royer [5 7 ABSTRACT A convertible andcollapsible backpack adapted for shoulder support for persons to carryvarious types of loads on their backs while walking, said backpack beingcomprised of a pair of elongated J-shaped members of hollow tubularconstruction, said J-shaped members being conjoined by two mutuallyparallel collapsible bars extending in a perpendicular fashion from themiddle portion of said J-shaped bars; said J- shaped members having ontheir respective axial lengths a plurality of holes extendingtherethrough which are capable of receiving'therethrough a series ofpins which lock onto corresponding positions on the respective J-barsthe fastening ends of various carrying members such as a baby pouch, ora knapsack support, or alternately, a tray member for eating meals whenat rest.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures SHEET 10F 2 CONVERTIBLE AND COLLAPSIBLEBACKPACK KNOWN PRIOR ART None known.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Backpacks carried by hikers over theirshoulders are a common phenomena particularly in view of the trend ofboth youths and adults using hiking as a recreation. Now with the crunchof the energy crisis hiking will become an even more popularrecreational diversion. By far the most common type of backpack used informer times. as well as today. is the simple arrangement of a bundle.called a knapsack, being attached to looped shoulder harnesses. Thereare evolutions of this arrangement which have become more complexadapted for more variable and heavy duty hiking purposes. However, itappears that one of the shortcomings and disadvantages of the array ofbackpack types known in the art is the lack of a backpack which iscollapsible and also convertible from one functional use to another.Versatility and need for convertibility dictate a need for such abackpack inventionv In view of the foregoing. it is therefore an objectof this invention to provide an improved backpack;

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a versatile backpack;

Still another object of this invention is to provide a portable andconvertible backpack;

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from areading of the description taken in conjunction with the followingdrawings, in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the basic framework of the backpackinvention comprising a pair of parallel J-bar members conjoined togetheras shown;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the basic framework of the invention asshown in FIG. 1 showing the baby pouch addition as one of the severalconvertible features of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the basic backpack framework membershowing one of the alternate convertible attachments as a tray member;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the backpack frame member with theaddition of a belt to be worn about the waist of the user as an aid forholding the backpack on the wearer or as a means of securement ofarticles to the frame.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is both a portable andconvertible packpack carrier which can be converted into multiplecarrrying usages such as a child carrier, or a normal knapsack carrier.or a tray table for outdoor usage. The basic frame member of thebackpack is comprised of two conjoined. parallel disposed .I-shapedmembers which are constructed so that the curved, hooked portions ofthese two members are adapted to fit over the left and right shouldersof the bearer. Joining the two .I-shaped members together are twomutually parallel cross brace members which are connected tocorresponding areas on the straight portion of the two .I- shapedmembers. The two cross brace members are hinged in the middle portionsthereof so as to render the frame member collapsible. Located in the.I-shaped bar member are holes adapted to receive pin members forlocking semipermanently unto the J-shaped bars the fastening portions ofthe various convertible attachments such as the baby carrying pouch.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings inwhich a preferred embodiment is shown, a backpack frame is shown inFIG. 1. This backpack frame 10 is comprised of two parallel andidentically shaped conjoined J-shaped members 12A and 128 respectively.The curved portions 14A and 14B of the respective J-shaped members 12Aand 12B are adapted to be worn over the left and right shoulders of thewearer respectively. These J- shaped members serve as the main supportmembers of the backpack frame 10 and are conjoined to one another inparallel alignment by two mutually parallel cross brace members 16A and168. Cross brace members 16A and 16B are connected to the J-shaped barmembers on the straight portions thereof as shown in FIG. 1. Thepreferable method of attaching the cross brace members 16A and 16B is bymeans of looped members 18A, 18B, 18C and 18D as shown. These loopedmembers can be permanently welded onto the J-shaped bar member oralternately can be attached by temporary pin means so that the bracemembers 16A and 168 can slide on or off the J-shaped members whendesired.

Cross brace members 16A and 16B are hinged in the respective middleportions thereof with integral hinges 20A and 208. Because of thishinging relationship the two support members can be folded together in acollapsible manner for storage purposes when not in use. In thiscollapsed condition the backpack frame is rendered portable and can beeasily transported around or stored in a compact condition.

On the under surfaces of the curved portions of the J-shaped members area pair of pads 22A and 228 for resting on the shoulder of the carrier sothat the metal surface of J-shaped members 12A and 128 does not rub onthe shoulder. These shoulder surface pads 22A and 22B are made to snapon and off of the metallic main support members with snap members 24A,24B, 24C, 24D, as shown.

Interspersed at fixed intervals along the straight portion of .I-shapedbar member 12A are a plurality of openings 28A, 30A, 32A, 34A, 36A.These latter openings extend through the diametrical extent of J-shapedbar 12A. Similarly, Lshaped bar 12B has a plurality of such openings28B, 30B, 32B, 34B, 368. These openings are adapted to receive temporarybolt members 40A and 40B which extend through .I-shaped bar members 12Aand 128 respectively. These bolt pins 42A and 42B are adapted withhinged locks 44A and 44B as shown in order that the bolts 42A and 423can be temporarily locked.

The backpack frame 10 is adapted by the foregoing structural arrangementto carry various carrier members. The first type of carrier which can befitted onto frame 10 is a baby pouch as shown in FIG. 2. This baby pouchis as shown, a pouch-like member having two openings 52A and 528 at thebottom through which the legs will protrude. The upper open portion ofthe pouch 50 is rimmed by a circumferentially extending metal rim 54 ofsolid construction.

Integrally attached to the respective corners of the semicircular rim 54are semicircular loops 56A and 568, which are at least a 200 degree spanand which are adapted to either slide up upon the straight portion ofrespective .l-shaped bar members 12A and 128 or alternately be clippedupon the .l-shaped bar member through the open portion of the loopmember. Located on diametrically opposite positions of the respectivelooped members 56A are openings 58A and 58B and openings 60A and 608,not shown, on looped member 56B. Openings 58A, 58B, 60A and 60B are ofthe same size as the plurality of openings in the J-shaped bars and arealigned diametrically with the openings on the respective J-shaped barmembers. By virtue of the foregoing constructional arrangement, thepouch 50 can be lifted on and off the frame member 10. Once the pouch islifted onto the frame it can be locked unto frame by inserting a bolt42A into openings 58A of loop 56A and thence through opening 58B on theopposite side of loop 56A. Once inserted completely through theappropriate openings 58A and 588, the bolt is locked by drawing upwardlyabout a pivotal axis pin 44A on the one end of the bolt 42A. By similarconstruction and methodology the bolt for loop 56B is used to lock thislatter loop so as to complete the process of affixing the pouch 50 tothe frame 10. The relative height position of the pouch 50 on frame 10can be adjusted by inserting bolt members 42A and 428 in one of thelower or higher openings on the .l-shaped bar 12A, as compared to theposition used in FIG. 2.

Another conversion arrangement that can be used with the subject deviceis a portable tray arrangement as shown in FIG. 3. In this adaptation asemicircular metallic tray 70 is used as a portable table which can bestabilized on the ground by inserting the bottom portions of .l-shapedbars 12A and 128 into the ground. In this arrangement. a set of slidableloops 62A and 62B are used to affix the tray to the .l-shaped bars.These loops 62A and 62B are of similar construction to loops 56A and 56Band are locked by a similar methodology as described above.

in similar fashion any other attachment such as a knapsack can beattached to the frame member 10 as described for the foregoingadaptation. ln one embodiment of the invention the ends of a belt 80 arelinked to the respective J-shaped bar members as shown in FIG. 4. Thisbelt 80 can be used for dual purposes, one of which further secures theframe to the wearer by strapping and locking the belt around the middlegirth of the user. For this latter purpose the belt is drawn around tothe front of the frame 10 so that the belt buckle 82 and its mating end84 are situated beneath the curved portions of J-shaped bar members 12Aand 128. On the other hand, belt 80 can be used on the rear portion offrame 10 so as to secure to frame 10 a knapsack or other similar bundlefor carriage by the bearer. The various other possible carriage uses ofthe frame 10 are myriad and depend to a large extent on the ingenuity ofthe user. Many adaptions can be utilized as the needs dictate, such asusing telescopic legs as seen in F IG. 4.

The foregoing description is by way of elaboration of a preferredembodiment and is not to be construed as a limitation thereof on theclaims that follow.

What is claimed is:

l. A portable knapsack frame supporting interchangeably various carrierscomprising:

a. a pair of .l-shaped bar members disposed in mutually parallelfashion, a collapsible and hinged bar member having sleeves at the endsthereof, each of said .l-shaped bar members being received in acorresponding sleeve, means for attaching said J- shaped bar members insaid sleeves, said hinged bar member joining said .l-shaped bars so thatthe .l-shaped bar members can be moved towards one another by folding ofthe hinged bar members, said .l-shaped bar members having therein aplurality of apertures for receiving bolt members;

b. a carrier having projecting sleeve members for attachment to the.I-shaped members;

c. said sleeve members being slidably received on said J-shaped bars andadapted to be fixed relative to said carrier by a bolt being lockedthrough each sleeve member and a corresponding aligned aperture in saidJ-shaped bar members.

2. A portable knapsack frame as described in claim 1 in which carrierincluding a depending pouch having leg apertures for carrying children.

3. A portable knapsack frame as described in claim 1 in which thecarrier includes a semi-circular shaped tray.

* a: s s

1. A portable knapsack frame supporting interchangeably various carrierscomprising: a. a pair of J-shaped bar members disposed in mutuallyparallel fashion, a collapsible and hinged bar member having sleeves atthe ends thereof, each of said J-shaped bar members being received in acorresponding sleeve, means for attaching said Jshaped bar members insaid sleeves, said hinged bar member joining said J-shaped bars so thatthe J-shaped bar members can be moved towards one another by folding ofthe hinged bar members, said J-shaped bar members having therein aplurality of apertures for receiving bolt members; b. a carrier havingprojecting sleeve members for attachment to the J-shaped members; c.said sleeve members being slidably received on said J-shaped bars andadapted to be fixed relative to said carrier by a bolt being lockedthrough each sleeve member and a corresponding aligned aperture in saidJ-shaped bar members.
 2. A portable knapsack frame as described in claim1 in which carRier including a depending pouch having leg apertures forcarrying children.
 3. A portable knapsack frame as described in claim 1in which the carrier includes a semi-circular shaped tray.